Fermented dairy products, such as yogurt, typically refer to compositions produced by culturing (fermenting) one or more dairy ingredients, also sometimes referred to as a dairy base, with a bacterial culture that contains the lactic acid-producing bacteria, such as Lactobacillus bulgaricus and/or Streptococcus thermophilus. Such products are available in a wide variety of styles and formulations.
For example, U.S. Pat. No. 4,971,810 (Hoyda et al.) discloses fiber fortified yogurt products; U.S. Pat. No. 4,952,414 (Kaufman et al.) discloses yogurt with cereal pieces; U.S. Pat. No. 6,235,320 (Daravingas et al.) discloses multi-layered, colored yogurt products; U.S. Pat. No. 7,033,634 (Engesser et al.) discloses aerated or whipped yogurt products and describes that a hydrated emulsifier blend can be added to a cultured yogurt post fermentation; U.S. Pub. No. 2005/0255192 (Chaudhry et al.) discloses a method for making cultured dairy products with decreased fermentation times; and U.S. patent application titled “NOVEL AERATED MILK COMPOSITIONS,” filed Feb. 1, 2006, by Ketchmark et al., U.S. Ser. No. 11/324,550 discloses aerated milk compositions such as yogurt.
Additionally, frozen yogurt products are available in the marketplace that can be consumed with the hands, such as Yoplait parfait bites product and various frozen yogurt novelties.
Consumers enjoy convenient, portable ways to eat healthful products such as yogurt, without the need to use a spoon. An example of such a product is Go-GURT® Portable Lowfat Yogurt, which is a yogurt product provided in a tube for portable consumption. U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2008/0089991 describes gelled food products such as yogurt or pudding products that are hand-holdable. These products contain a hydrocolloid ingredient that is present in an amount such that the gelled dairy composition has a Gel Strength Value of at least 100 grams. See claim 1 of the published application.
Confectionery products comprising a high water activity component such as yogurt are described in U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2008/0050484. This application notes the problem of dissolution of the moisture sensitive confectionery materials by the high water activity components, and states that this can be prevented by use of moisture barriers. In the described method, the shell is first molded, a moisture barrier is deposited onto the shell, and then the high water activity material is deposited into the molded shell. See paragraphs [0030]-[0034]. An alternative enrobing process whereby the high water activity material is first formed into a desired shape and subsequently hermetically covered with at least one layer of low water activity material is described. The application states that “[f]orming of the high water activity material may involve a set time, or cooling step in order to give the material a consistency appropriate for cutting resp. enrobing and coating.” See paragraph [0044].
Patent application EP1378174A1 describes a high water food product with an edible casing containing a moist filling, which is preferably a yogurt based filling. The described product is prepared by first forming the casing, then pouring a liquid or viscous filling material into the casing, and then sealing the casing. See paragraph [0019]. U.S. Pat. No. 5,573,793 to Saintain describes a cookie or chocolate shell food product having a filling based on a dairy product. The filling is fermented and contains live lactic acid bacteria. The filling has a water activity of between 0.75 and 0.81.
There is a continuing need to provide new and improved yogurt products, especially having characteristics that are appealing to consumers.